If you have ever found the perfect shoe and then discovered it stops at a UK size 8, you already know the problem. Most brands were not designed to go further than that. What sits above UK 8 is nowhere to be seen in most shops. You can only find them in specialist shoe shops, and those were never designed with teenagers or young women in mind.
This guide covers everything you actually need: how UK, EU and US sizing works, the exact conversion table from factory spec, and why the same size can fit differently depending on the brand. For the step-by-step measurement method, see our guide on how to measure your shoe size at home.
How UK shoe sizing works
UK shoe sizing runs from infant size 0 upward through children's sizes, ending around size 13.5. At that point, adult sizing restarts from UK 1. Each full size is roughly one-third of an inch in foot length, which is 8.46mm.
For teenage girls shopping in a size UK 9 (EU 43) or above, this creates a specific problem. Children's sizing ends before many girls have stopped growing. A UK 9, 10 or 11 is technically an adult size, stocked in the women's section, built on adult proportions and styled for an adult wardrobe. The foot is still a teenager's. The shoe was not made for it. That is the gap Maévie was built to close.
UK, EU and US size conversion from factory spec
The table below uses the exact measurements from Maévie's manufacturing specification. The EU is our master system. UK and the US are conversions. Note: factory spec shows EU 46 = UK 11.5, slightly different to standard conversion charts, which show UK 12.
| EU Size | UK Size | US Size (women's) | Foot length |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU 39 | UK 6 | US 7 | 250.5mm / 25.1cm |
| EU 40 | UK 6.5 | US 7.5 | 257.0mm / 25.7cm |
| EU 41 | UK 7 | US 8 | 263.5mm / 26.4cm |
| EU 42 | UK 8 | US 9 | 270.0mm / 27.0cm |
| EU 43 | UK 9 | US 10 | 276.5mm / 27.7cm |
| EU 44 | UK 10 | US 11 | 283.0mm / 28.3cm |
| EU 45 | UK 11 | US 12 | 289.5mm / 28.9cm |
| EU 46 | UK 11.5 | US 12.5 | 296.0mm / 29.6cm |
| EU 47 | UK 12 | US 13 | 302.5mm / 30.3cm |
The highlighted rows are where most brands stop, above UK 8, shoes designed for a teenage life are rare. If your measurement falls between two sizes, always go up.
Why does the same size fit differently between brands?
Every shoe is built on a last, the internal mould that determines its shape from the inside. Two shoes with the same size number but different lasts will fit differently. Some lasts run narrow, some are wide, some have more room at the toe. For anyone shopping in size UK 9, 10 or 11, this variation matters more rather than less; when the range of available options is already narrow, knowing how a brand tends to run before buying saves considerable frustration.
Leather adapts slightly with wear. Synthetic materials hold their original shape. Neither is better; they just behave differently, and it is worth knowing which you are buying.
Measuring both feet
Most people have one foot slightly larger than the other. Always measure both and use the larger measurement. During the teen years, when feet are still growing, measuring every six months keeps you buying for the current size, not the one from six months ago. For the full measurement method, see our guide on how to measure your shoe size at home.
To understand why so many teenage girls find their size is not stocked on the high street, see our post on why teen shoe sizes stop at UK 8.
FAQ
Q Where can I find shoes for a teenage girl in a bigger size in the UK?
A Most brands stop at UK 7 or 8, which means anyone shopping in a size 9 or above hits a wall that has nothing to do with style and everything to do with what retailers have decided to stock. Maévie was built specifically for that gap: footwear designed for a teenage life, starting at the sizes most brands stop carrying.
Q What is EU 43 in UK shoe size?
A EU 43 is UK 9 / US 10, with a foot length of 276.5mm (27.7cm). This is from the factory manufacturing specification. Standard conversion charts may show slight variations; always use a brand's own size guide for the most accurate match.
Q What is Maévie, and why is it different from other shoe brands for teens?
A Maévie is a footwear brand built specifically for teenage girls and young women whose size is not stocked in most brands. Not adult shoes that happen to come in larger sizes; footwear designed for a teenage life, with the silhouettes, colourways, and details that reflect what teens are actually wearing. The brand starts where the options stop.
Q Do teen shoe sizes follow the same system as adult sizes?
A In the UK system, children's sizes end around 13.5 and adult sizing restarts from 1. Teenage girls shopping in a size UK 9 / EU 43 or above are technically in adult sizing, even though those shoes were designed for adult women in mind. That mismatch is part of why shoes often feel wrong, especially in style.